River Report – April 4, 2022

I’m glad March came and glad it’s gone.  Streamer fishing has been solid on the best days and will just keep getting better with more of those best days to come.  I love pitching meatbugs and stripping flies from the bank and pausing them into the streambed contours, and jolt-strikes, and a leviathan, thick-sided brown … Read more

River Report March 14, 2022

This is the weather we’ve been waiting for – Spring is breaking.  We’ve moved the clocks and the kids will steal a week away from school.  There’s a change settling into Northern Michigan.  Spring creep is kindly welcomed.  Temperatures move from twenties to thirties and thirties move to forties and each marker sheds a layer … Read more

River Report – March 5, 2022

March toward Spring I say.  Even though this month often serves up some of our most ferocious winter weather, it’s nice to turn the calendar page.  Days are getting longer and the sun’s angle stronger.  There’s no more going to work in the dark and coming home in the dark.  We can look forward to … Read more

River Report February 15, 2021

The Old Au Sable Fly Shop Fishing Report The miserable cold snap has finally ended.  It has been a beautiful, mild winter and the cold spell lasted just long enough to thicken the blood.  Mild temperatures are in front of us for a good while and after the toughening up, it’s going to feel like … Read more

River Report February 4, 2021

The Old Au Sable Fly Shop Fishing Report Well, when you live in the North it’s only a matter of time before winter turns tough and Arctic air dumps into the Great Lakes Region. There’s a beauty of a deep freeze settling in. The snow will be squeaky when daytime high temperatures just tickle single … Read more

November 11, 2020 RIVER REPORT

The Old Au Sable Fly Shop Fishing Report Wild weather swings are about to bend to more seasonable trends.  We went from an early season snowstorm to an incredibly warm Indian Summer. The summer-like stretch made fishing and hunting difficult.  Grouse hunting fell apart with the heat.  Whipped dogs lolled tongues over water dishes in … Read more

River Report – October 2, 2010

The Old Au Sable Fly Shop Fishing Report Fall color is upon us.  We’re getting close to peak change in Northern Michigan.  This is easily my favorite season of the year.  Splashes of red and orange and gold pop against evergreen ridges.  And over every rise and in buried in every swale, drumming grouse and … Read more

River Report September 16, 2020

The Old Au Sable Fly Shop Fishing Report It’s actually Fall in Northern Michigan. Seems like it’s all too early. But the weather keeps reminding me that we have to put up our winter wood. And the maple trees are already turning red. Plus, it’s grouse season. Happy bird day, I say! The best thing … Read more

River Report June 25, 2020

The Old Au Sable Fly Shop Fishing Report Hey Folks, I’ve been running ragged working the shop and guiding and have been a little behind with the reports I know you are all looking for. So, here it is.  Hex are winding down on the Au Sable and are all but over on the South … Read more

River Report, June 17, 2020

The Old Au Sable Fly Shop Fishing Report We’ve got our last cold front of the season behind us—we hope.  Fishing shut down for a few days, but now we should be back on track for the goodness of June. The Manistee has some fine brown drake nights in the bug forecast.  And the Au … Read more